25 Fascinating Photos of Nikola Tesla

Although best known for his development of alternating current electrical systems, Nikola Tesla, a Serbian-American inventor born between 1856 and lived through 1943, also created extraordinary contributions to some other matter like the fields of electromagnetism and wireless radio communications. He was a genius child and possessed an eidetic memory including a futuristic vision for humanity which is evident through his discoveries and researches.

A trained electrical and mechanical engineer, Tesla's discoveries and inventions included the contemporary electric motor, a wireless transmission of energy, some basic laser and radar technology, as well as the first neon and fluorescent illumination and also the Tesla coil which is largely used in radio, television sets, and all other electronic devices.

An image of Nikola Tesla, with Roger Boskovich's book, “Theoria Philosophiae Naturalis,” in front a spiral coil of his high-frequency transformer captured at East Houston St. 46, New York.

Photograph of him standing in the middle of the laboratory. He is lighting a vacuum bulb by waves coming from a distant oscillator — In this case, his body is subjected to great electrical pressure.

Lighting an already disconnected vacuum bulb of 1,500 candle power using high-frequency currents. This poto was taken by the light of the bulb itself, and the exposure about two seconds.

The very first photograph taken by phosphorescent light. As observed, the face is that of Mr. Tesla, and then the source of light is among of his phosphorescent bulbs. Eight minutes was the time of exposure. This photo captured January, 1894.

The hand of Nikola Tesla, perfectly captured by his wonderful artificial daylight. This is the first photograph taken by the light of the future.

A glow of nitrogen filling the atmosphere as Tesla is photographed in front of his generator just sitting. This was taken in 1899.

An incandescent lamp lighted with waves transmitted by space to a coil without a condenser.

Publicity photo taken of Tesla by a reporter during his annual birthday press event.

An image of Tesla working in his office located at 8 West 40th Street.

Tesla exhibits “wireless” power transmission within his Houston Street laboratory in March 1899.

Experiment depicting the action of a synchronized circuit reinforced by waves transmitted through a distant oscillator - The energy accepted is transferred upon a different unresponsive circuit, illuminating the incandescent lamp attached to the same.

A photo of John T. Morris, Victor Beam and Tesla pose together with the alternator they discovered.

Tesla carrying a gas-filled phosphor coated wireless light bulb that he developed in the 1890's. This was half a century prior to using fluorescent lamps. This was published on the cover of the Electrical Experimenter in 1919.

Regardless of being a great inventor, Tesla's life was shadowed by poverty mostly because he was a terrible businessman. Always impractical with his money, he had nobody to pass on his future legacy since he never was in a relationship with anyone. He was known as a generous and polite person by his friends, but he had limited social interaction because of his rigid daily routine. A loner all his life, he died penniless without the recognition that he ultimately deserves after his death. Undoubtedly, he was among the 20th century's most influential inventors whose inventions in the field of electricity were very contemporary that influence technology even until today.

Tesla shown in his New York City office during 1916. He often crossed the street into Bryant Park to feed the pigeons there. The illustrations behind Tesla show his steam engine design.

A photo of Tesla in 1879 at age twenty-three.

The master of lightning shown in his room at the Hotel New Yorker.

Tesla accepts the Order of the White Lion from the Czechoslovak governments on July, 11, 1937.

Tesla in 1916 signaling to a discharge in a photograph captured at Colorado Springs in 1899.

Nikola Tesla captured working in his office located at 8 West 40th Street. This was in 1916.

Nikola Tesla with one of his inventions. This image was captured in 1916.

A picture of Tesla experimenting with currents of High Voltage and High Frequency in 1899.

Tesla captured near his transmitter in Colorado Springs. The equipment was capable of transmitting millions of electricity volts over great distances with no wires. Photo taken in 1899.

Tesla checks out the door of his laboratory in Colorado Springs. Photo captured in 1899.